as in joining
to become a friend to (someone)
He befriended the new student.
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Recent Examples of befriending
But the blind man ends up befriending the creature, having no sense of its frightening demeanor.
—
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 30 Aug. 2025
Zrnčević, Bugatti Rimac’s chief test and development driver, has spent 11 years with the company after befriending CEO Mate Rimac during his stint as an automotive journalist (his mechanical engineering degree didn’t hurt).
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 7 Aug. 2025
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 30 Aug. 2025
Zrnčević, Bugatti Rimac’s chief test and development driver, has spent 11 years with the company after befriending CEO Mate Rimac during his stint as an automotive journalist (his mechanical engineering degree didn’t hurt).
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befriending
Verb
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King's Hawaiian and Eli Manning are joining forces for something that is going to turn up your tailgate before the game even starts.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
3 Sep. 2025
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However, Doncic was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers last season, with Anthony Davis and others joining the Mavericks.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Things won't get any easier for Flacco next week with the Browns traveling to Baltimore to play the Ravens, who typically always have a top-10 caliber defense.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
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In February, more than 40 people were killed in southern Mexico when a bus traveling to Tabasco from the tourist city of Cancun hit a trailer truck and caught fire.—
Lizbeth Diaz,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Mescal went on to say that his close friendship with O’Connor made the journey of their characters in The History of Sound even more powerful and emotionally connecting.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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For Hugel, the French DJ and producer, music has always been a form of mapmaking - connecting the rhythms of his Marseille childhood with global dance floors.—
Caroline Tell,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Without active practice relating in new ways to one another, team members’ mere understanding of each others’ preferences and leanings is rarely effective.—
Rebecca Fraser-Thill,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
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In a statement, a lawyer for Ortiz said his client’s guilty plea was highly tailored, relating only to his transactions with Pérez in the context of concert performances.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Befriending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befriending. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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